Method of making and using modified anion exchange materials with metal inside the materials

Abstract

The present invention relates, generally, to the art of impregnating metal complexes into anion exchange materials to provide improved anion exchange materials with a metal inside the materials such that the modified materials effectively and efficiently remove or recover various metals, including metal containing complexes, compounds, and contaminants, such as arsenic, from, for example, process solutions, effluents and aqueous solutions. Uses for the improved anion exchange materials are also described as are methods of making modified anion exchange materials, and methods of removing and recovering at least one metal or contaminant from a source.

1. A method for making a modified anion exchange material comprising the steps of:
 (a) loading an anionic substance comprising a metal containing complex onto an anion exchange material; and 
 (b) immobilizing at least a portion of the metal of the metal containing complex inside the anion exchange material to form a modified anion exchange material. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of adding a metal containing substance to a salt, acid or base material to form the anionic substance comprising the metal containing complex. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of displacing excess metal from the metal containing complex. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of converting the metal containing complex to at least one of a metal cation, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide and an insoluble form of the metal containing complex. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising repeating the loading and immobilizing steps. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the immobilizing step comprises adding an immobilizing reagent to the anionic substance comprising a metal complex and the anion exchange material. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the immobilizing reagent is selected from a group consisting of a hydroxide, carbonate, bicarbonate, acids and salts. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the displacing step comprises rinsing the anionic substance with a solution that stabilizes the complex. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anion exchange material is a strong base anion resin. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the metal is immobilized in a gel phase of the resin. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anion exchange material is mostly in a halogen form. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal of the metal containing complex is at least one of iron, zinc, copper, titanium, lanthanum, beryllium, zirconium, aluminum, manganese, tin, palladium, platinum, gold and mercury.